General Blog

Each year, thousands of Americans apply to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Out of those thousands, an overwhelming number get denied. Statistics show that over half of the percentage of applicants are initially rejected. Why such terrible odds? Many speculate that the Social Security Administration (SSA) habitually rejects applicants without a second thought. While it is true that the SSA is known to deny the majority of applications they receive, it is helpful to understand why. The SSA probes each application on their desk with an eagle eye. They are wary of fraud and people trying to take advantage of the system. Unfortunately, even those who have a qualifying disability often get denied benefits they are entitled to collect. As a result, if you are disabled and eligible for…Read More

There is no safe way to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sadly, some drivers believe that they can wing it, most likely because they have done it several times before without any consequences. Nobody who drives after using a substance that causes impairment ever thinks they will seriously injure or kill someone. Yet, more than 10,000 people were killed by drunk drivers in 2018 across the United States — 20 in Rhode Island. These statistics don't include the number of fatalities caused by drivers who were under the influence of recreational and prescription drugs. What Are The Dangers Of Driving While Impaired? Those who use drugs and alcohol lose the good judgment, alertness, coordination and control needed to safely drive a car. Crashes involving an impaired driver are often linked…Read More

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that establishes minimum standards for health insurance benefits provided by employers. The health insurance benefits governed under ERISA may be used to pay for medical expenses related to car accidents. When a car accident occurs, and an ERISA recipient is injured, a portion of the economic damages recovered through a personal injury claim would be used to compensate the recipient's health insurance provider. What If The Car Accident Wasn't Caused By Negligence? In rare cases, a car accident may be caused by a medical event, such as a heart attack, seizure or stroke. Someone who has pre-existing health conditions may be more likely than others to have medical events while driving. Crash-inducing medical events can be unpredictable, even in seemingly healthy people.…Read More

An injury or illness that leaves someone permanently disabled can happen unexpectedly. Not only can this cause physical and emotional anguish, getting the benefits you need can be painstaking. Workers who have become disabled have options available to them that they may not be aware of under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). This act provides workers with disability and retirement asset protection and transparency. In order to qualify for ERISA protection, your disability insurance benefits must be offered through your employer. Certain employers are exempt from the provisions of ERISA including state and municipal employers and church sponsored plans. What Does Erisa Offer For Disability? Private disability insurance plans offer compensation for disabled workers. Most often this is based on a percentage of their salaries. In many cases,…Read More

Good, responsible drivers don't pose any risk to Providence-area road users. In fact, they are generally less likely to be involved in crashes than distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or speeders. Unfortunately, responsible drivers are often still injured or killed in accidents caused by reckless drivers. Here's why. Distracted Driving Is Still A Leading Cause Of Crashes Distracted driving has become a growing public safety concern in Providence. Not only do we hear about the devastation distracted drivers cause, we often witness it on our roadways. We see drivers holding cellphones, eating and drinking, looking in the mirror, and doing everything except staying engaged in the task of driving. Rhode Island's hands-free law prohibits the use of cellphones while driving, unless they are connected through hands-free or BlueTooth devices. Drivers who violate this…Read More

A drowsy driver can turn into a deadly driver in an instant. According to the National Safety Council, about 100,000 car crashes each year are caused by drowsy drivers, and these accidents result in more than 1,550 deaths. Other studies conclude that the number of crashes and deaths linked to tired drivers may be even higher. New technology equipped in cars, however, may help save lives by alerting drivers when they are starting to fall asleep behind the wheel. According to CNN Business, the German company Bosch has developed a system to detect when the driver is drowsy. Starting in 2022, some new cars will include a camera and an artificial intelligence system that detects when a driver’s eyelids are getting heavy. The technology will also emit alerts to distracted drivers. How The…Read More

The month of December is one of the most dangerous times of the year for Providence-area drivers. The snow and ice make for slippery road conditions. The shorter days result in limited visibility and increased drowsiness. What makes the holiday season particularly dangerous is the uptick in negligent driving habits. We all know that the holidays can be both cheerful and dreadful -- the pressure to plan celebrations, to complete shopping, and to drink can make drivers behave in ways they don't normally do. How Dangerous Is Driving During The Holiday Season? The National Safety Council estimates that during the Christmas period (which starts at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve and runs through 11:59 p.m. Christmas Day), roughly 422 traffic fatalities may occur across the United States. During the New Year's period (which starts at…Read More

Road rage is a dangerous game some people play on Providence-area roads. What starts as a small mishap or careless mistake can quickly spiral out of control — resulting in someone's injury or death. That's what happened in a 2017 incident on Route 295 in Johnston, according to the Providence Journal. The incident started when the at-fault driver, traveling north, cut off a tow truck driver. After the tow truck driver honked his horn, the passenger car driver reportedly applied his brakes in a provocative manner. As the situation continued to escalate, the driver stopped abruptly in the middle of the road. This dangerous maneuver set off a chain reaction, causing the driver of a box truck to crash into the tow truck. The driver of the box truck was killed in the…Read More

Last year, we discussed national crash figures that concluded a 17 percent increase in fatal crashes involving red light runners occurred from 2012 (696 deaths) to 2016 (811 deaths). Only one year later, fatal crashes caused by drivers who run red lights rose by 28 percent since 2012, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In 2017, a total of 939 people were killed at signalized intersections due to drivers running red lights. The death toll in 2007, which was 914 fatalities, was previously marked as the highest, until it was topped in 2017. On average, passengers and occupants from other cars accounted for nearly half of all fatalities involving red light runners. Pedestrians and bicyclists account for more than five percent. What Are Some Reasons Why Drivers Run Red Lights? It's…Read More

During the warmer time of year, Rhode Island's vast waterways offer a place for fishing and recreational boating. Although boating crashes do not occur on the same scale as car accidents, they do happen and can lead to serious injuries and even death when they do. Recently, a woman was killed in a collision in Newport while racing a sailboat. The state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) reports that the woman was operating a two-person catamaran sailboat and competing in the New England 100 Regatta when she was struck by a powerboat. Alcohol was not determined to be a factor in the crash, but a DEM investigation is ongoing — including conducting an autopsy, crash reconstruction, and collecting witness statements. How Common Are Boating Crashes? According to a United States Coast Guard (USCG) report, there were approximately…Read More